Here are my journal notes.
INDIA 2012
CATARACT MISSION
TRIP
Basic Facts about India
1/6 of the worlds population
1,095,351,995 Population estimate in 2006
India is 1/3 the size of the United States.
50-60% literacy rate
60 years life expectancy
Good News India - http://www.goodnewsindia.org/
Good News India was our contact in India & our host for
a medical cataract mission.
Part of the Good News India Dream Center mission is to teach
Christianity and to educate the children through college or vocational school.
It is to allow them to see there is more to life than field work. The
challenges to the Dream Center program is that once a girl reaches puberty she
is immediately married & drops out of school. The boys feel that $1 per day
is a good wage to help support their families and drop out of school.
26 Dream Center Orphanages with about 2000 children at this
point. They are located in very rural areas away from the cities.
Children are rescued from slavery, prostitution, abandonment
and neglect.
One of the Dream Centers is a Leper colony. They have about
70 adult Lepers and then a multitude of children who have been disowned because
they are related to a Leper. The Leper Dream Center is the only Dream
Center that has a school on premise because of the severe persecution to the
children who have Leper relatives. Two of the graduates from the Dream Center
have their teaching degrees and have voluntarily returned to run this school.
The travel to our destination was incredibly long.
Departed Monday about Noon
5 hours by airplane to East Coast
17 hours by airplane to Mumbai
2 hours by airplane to Kolkata (Calcutta)
5 hour car ride to the Dream Center in Bangalore West
Bengali
Arrived Wednesday about Noon
My initial impressions:
Traffic rules-- Our driver spoke no English. There
are NO traffic rules other than the biggest thing on the narrow roads win. No
blinkers are used, only horns. Our driver just laid on his horn; to pass, to
say I’m behind you & want to pass, to say to the people or animals on the
side of the road that I’m coming through. Honestly it was 5 hours of solid
horn blowing. Many bicycles, many people on foot, many Tuk tuks (3
wheeled partially enclosed cab), large transit trucks and busses. We arrived
quite exhausted.
Garbage is everywhere. No public trash pickup of any
kind. Trash lines the roads & fields. The people and animals just
walk through the trash to get to the shops. Cows, pigs, dogs stand anywhere
they want as they rummage through the trash hoping to find something worth
eating.
Few if any public toilets-(The few public toilets
were disgusting. Not much more than a flat drain type thing on the floor that
you can squat over. There was a bucket to fill & flush the contents down
the hole. There was absolutely no toilet paper to be found. Typically a
woman stands in the bathroom area hoping for a tip for allowing use of the
toilet. The majority of people and animals just stand or squat anywhere,
just lift your dress or drop your drawers. It was very common to see someone
“relieving themselves” anywhere.
Beautiful faces & colorful dresses. The
women dress very modestly in traditional Indian dress. They were wrapped in
scarves from head to toe. The men typically wore a collared button up the front
shirt but then many wore some type of scarf around their bottom half. Some wore
in pants. Matching top & bottoms didn’t seem to matter.
Illiteracy rate is extremely high- None of our
cataract patients could read. We began the eye exam with an eye chart but found
they didn’t recognize letters. Then we drew and “E” chart but that seemed
confusing to them also. We finally gave up with the eye chart. India has
22 official languages and about 130 unofficial languages or dialects. We had
several translators but even they had trouble translating for everyone.
Food- White rice is a staple. Yellow curry flavored
everything. Chick peas, chicken, spinach & some veges. Chi tea, brown
tortilla type bread & eggs were part of our daily fare. Nearly everything
we ate was battered & deep fried.
Interesting conversations…. My job was to clean &
sterilize the equipment after surgery to prepare it for the next surgery. Due
to inadequate electricity our sterilizers would not operate because they pulled
too much electricity & blew all fuses. So I would boil the equipment on a 2
burner gas unit on the back porch of the temporary Operating Room. One of the
burners wasn’t working so we called Prusannt ( we changed his name to McGuiver
because he could fix anything). As he dismantled it he said; “Somebody is in
there.” A roach was in the burner. I said; “Gee I hope it is dead”. He said;
“No it isn’t” & chased it out with a stick. When Mat suggested he kill it
he just looked at us and said; “No it is one of God’s creatures and deserves to
live also.”
--Dr Rahmen said that while abortions are legal, ultra
sounds are illegal. Sons are desirable because they can provide for you when
you are older. So many ultra sounds are performed in secret so female fetuses
can be aborted.
WEDNESDAY- We arrived late morning. The children
greeted us with song and dance. We set up and began with a few operations.
THURSDAY- we stayed busy doing surgery on about 60
patients.
Dave, the optometrist, screened patients and determined
which eye was the best choice to perform surgery on. Michelle, the
anesthesiologist, gave people blocks on the front porch. Inside what is
used as the chapel, we had set up two make shift OR tables with the microscopes
and machines used to perform the surgery. Dr Dave Patel and Dr. Niel Attadaria
were the ophthalmologists. Their nurses were Sarah and Robyn. Amber was the OR
nurse that kept everything running smoothly. I sat out on the back porch
cleaning instruments.
FRIDAY - Today my heart was touched as I took an
early morning walk through the 7 acre property that this Dream Center
encompassed.
Post Op people sat in a circle in front of the building we
used for our Operating Room. They were waiting for the patch to be removed from
their eye. Removing the patches and allowing the people to see is rewarding. It
will take up to a week before their vision is optimal. Some people immediately
want their 2nd eye done. Some are not happy with the result &
don’t understand it will improve. The smiles that radiated from their faces as
the eye patch was removed was awesome. Many wanted to hug any and all of the
medical team. They smiled brightly for the photos. Only one patient had
complications & had to be taken to the local eye hospital for further
surgery. 198 cataracts were done in the time we were there.
One translator shared his gratitude with me. He stated there
was no way these people could ever obtain this operation on their own because
they just didn’t have the money. Due to their blindness (cataracts) they were
confined to their huts. He stated that as children they were taught that
Heavenly Beings have white skin. We are seen as angels to them. He was an adult
before he saw his first “white” person and realized we were just another
nationality. He thanked us for our service in the name of Jesus Christ.
I walked to the back of the 7 acre property Large covered
pavilion area sat hundreds of old people waiting for their turn to see if their
lack of sight qualified them for cataract surgery. Tarps were lined up in rows
and the people sat on them while they ate their portion of rice off a leaf
plate. No utensils necessary!
Leaf plates are the industry for 6 months of the year. The
leaves are gathered, sewn together & sold as disposable plates.
Another industry in the area is making rope from grasses.
I walked past the open air kitchens. Each meal is cooked
over a fire. Wood must be gathered, fire built & coals prepared. Huge
bowl shaped pots were bubbling full of soupy foods for our morning meal. Many
of our food items were battered & deep fried. I realized that the multiple
items we were being served at each meal was unusual for the people who
typically enjoy a meal of rice & chick pea curry sauce. My repeated
theme for the week was that we truly don’t understand how blessed we are.
Chi Tea was offered at least 5 times daily in small cups
which contained about 1/3 c milky brown tea.
Towards the back of the property was a struggling garden
with vegetables to supplement the chick pea and rice staples. A huge
fenced in area contained a few dozen rabbits, but the children refuse to eat
them so they are more of just pets to observe rather than a food source.
Farm animals included rabbits, geese, chickens, a couple of
cows and goats.
The back end of the property had some trees and a wash
station where the children hang out their clothing after washing it.
Beyond the bamboo fence were open fields where the kids play cricket
& ball games.
SATURDAY- This morning we took a walk outside of the
compound. We are all so stiff from being in the same position all day &
then lying on very hard beds at night. We have been putting in very long
days.
We heard about a group of 270 elephants that were in the
area & we are hoping to catch a glimpse of them. We followed elevated
trails through the rice fields. It is the end of rice season. Most of the
fields are bare. Rice is planted prior to the rainy season (July-Aug) then as
it grows it is moved from field to field to allow it to spread out. The people
work in soggy fields which breed parasites & make the people ill.
Our guide took us through a village. The homes had adobe
type walls with grass thatched roofs or some had corrugated metal roofs. The
walls, floors, paths & fire mounds look like smooth cement or
plaster. Each morning animal dung is collected and mixed with sand and
water to create a soft plaster which is smoothed over any surface to reinforce
it. This daily ritual keeps their immediate area clean & tidy. All the
paths are swept clean of leaves and debris that may have fallen during the
night. Leaves & twigs are either used for kindling or are edible. One
specific twig is used as a toothbrush of sorts. Each morning we saw many
people standing along the road side cleaning their teeth. Some of the
huts have an electric light. We even saw one that had a satellite dish. All
still cook their meals outside over an open fire. They had many goats,
some pigs, chickens, cows & one “pet” dog. Most dogs that we see are mangy
looking strays.
We haven’t seen much of the children since our first day at
the “Welcome Ceremony”. They have been at school or in personal & group
bible study. They meet twice daily on the top terrace of their dorm to
sing and read scripture and pray.
The children attend government run schools which are not
good. The older children ride their bikes 7 miles to & from school each day
leaving at about 6 am.
About 6 of the older girls have been allowed to stay home to
help prepare food, serve meals and wash clothing for us. Tonight as we
finished our work grabbed me by the hand and wanted me to follow. They
kept saying; “Japal, japal”…(Chapel, Chapel) They took me to the roof top
room of their dorm. About 200 kids sat crossed legged in rows on the floor with
boys on one side & girls on the other. They sang songs about Jesus and also
India in English and Indian, prayed & finally lined up for a piece of hard
candy and a hug. After hugging 200 children and listening to them say; “thank
you” or “I love you” I returned to my dorm. This is such a beautiful country
with beautiful children.
SUNDAY- Every Sunday is a national holiday. It is not
considered a Holy Day. Only 2-3% of the population is Christian. There
are many Muslim and Hindi people. One half of the population is not religious
at all.
We went for another early morning walk but still no elephant
sightings. The only evidence we saw was that they had bedded or trampled
through the area. The villagers dislike the elephants because they ruin their
crops and fields.
Dr Patel & his scrub nurse Robyn will only work a few
hours before departing for the airport. We will be down to only Dr Attadaria
then. It may be a short day for all of us as supplies are running low. It
is a domino effect where you never know what will run out or malfunction
next. Dr Rahmen (Dream Center creator) tries valiantly to find suitable
replacement only to have another item malfunction or run out. He desperately
wants to have us do as many cataract patients as possible.
The doctors, Patel & Attadaria say the cataracts here
are extremely hardened due to years of field work in the sun. The people look
at least 20 years older than they are. The average life expectancy in this area
is 55-60 years. Dr. Rahmen questioned the value of giving sight to an old
person as opposed to a 40-50 year old that might still be supporting a family.
Future missions might try to cater to younger patients first. Those cataracts
would also be less stone like.
We finished early about 5 pm. We drove to the Dream Refuge
that is devoted to Lepers and children who are outcasts due to a Leper in their
family. The Lepers here are cared for, bandaged and receive tactile care.
The children are cared for and educated. This Dream Center is the only one so
far that has its own school. The children are treated poorly in government
schools due the stigma of having a Leper family member. A couple of “graduates”
from the Dream Center orphanage that have received their teaching degrees have
voluntarily returned to teach and run this school.
Although the CAST System has been outlawed there is
still huge prejudice. I am told the CAST System is complex & difficult
to explain. It contains many levels or stations according to education,
employment, family, etc.
Leprosy- joint deformity, big open sores, lost digits,
limbs and scaly skin. The people lose nerve feeling in their extremities and
therefore don’t feel the sores. Leprosy is curable if discovered & treated
early on but due to the extreme prejudice and stigma the people are hidden from
the public or cast out to save face in the family.
As we greeted the adults with Leprosy they bowed &
touched our feet. This apparently signifies that they recognize their station,
which is lower than dirt basically. It was confusing & sad.
The children were thrilled to have visitors. They sang &
danced for us then invited us to join in the dancing. They could have danced
all night. Mat formed a Congo line & they enjoyed that. He taught a
group of kids to sing “I am a Child of God”. We finally tore ourselves
away by climbing into the cars. It was a fun & rewarding day.
The children know a little English. They typically greet us
with “Good Morning Auntie! “ or “Hello Auntie!” and a big hug. They each
can say the phrase; “My name is ________”.
They have begun to feel more comfortable around us & I
have a continual shadow everywhere I go. They take turns coming to my work
station to watch me clean the instruments. The braver ones have dawned gloves
and helped to squirt water through the instruments with syringes. Many
have watched the actual surgery with gloves & masks. I can only
believe that this is a positive educational experience for them.
MONDAY- We have a few translators. One man is
the caretaker of the Leper Dream Refuge with his wife. His English &
comprehension is very good. Time can drag on for him as he sits in the OR to be
ready if needed for help with a patient. I have shared my magazines with
him to help pass the time. One of the magazines boasted “Simplified Investing”.
He let me know this had little interest for him. He read my Church News &
Mormon Times newspapers thoroughly. Today I brought out the General Conference
issue & left it on his chair. Within minutes he came & told me he
needed to read this because it had many spiritual articles that he needed to
share with his people. As a spiritual leader it took no time at all for
him to recognize the word of God contained in the Ensign Conference edition. I
gave it to him to keep. Once again we so very much take all that we are
blessed with for granted.
We heard again that elephants were close. After dark we
could hear commotion & went to the rooftop terrace to look over the valley.
We could see hand held torches and lights and hear villagers banding together
to heard elephants out of their villages and back into the jungle. It was
so dark that was all we could see other than a brilliantly star lite sky.
TUESDAY- We awoke to excited voices yelling;
“Haati!!” (Elephants) We ran out of the compound and into the field. One huge
elephant was being herded by “herds of villagers! We followed this elephant for
about a mile. It was a perfect finish for our trip.
This was our last day of surgery because we were running out
of too many supplies. 198 cataracts total removed with only 1 complication
which was referred to an eye hospital for further treatment.
WEDNESDAY- We packed up and relaxed.
That evening we had a “thank you” dinner with the children.
THURSDAY- We drove to Kolkata (Calcutta). The
big city was modern compared to the village we had been staying in. It had many
buildings, cars and people. The smog was just as bad from the pollution
from cars, trucks & cooking fires. The sun rises and sets through a thick
layer of smog and appears deep red. We shopped in one pre- arranged shop and
ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Then we flew to New Delhi and stayed in a
hotel.
FRIDAY- In New Delhi it was again a big city with many
buildings. Still filthy streets jammed with people, bicycles and animals. We
saw many baboon type monkeys roaming freely usually on the roof tops. They are
allowed to live wherever they want and they just jump down and steal what they
want.
We drove to the Taj Mahal and a Fort from its same time
period & kingdom. The Fort was built first. It’s tall walls &
outer mote full of alligators protected the king and leaders. It was made
of red sandstone which resembled the Red Rocks of Southern Utah.
Side note- there was a man with a large monkey on a leash
walking through the Taj Mahal grounds. The monkey he had was a predator to the
type of monkeys that roam the streets of New Delhi. Therefore the street
monkeys were afraid to come into the Taj Mahal grounds. This man is paid
well to patrol his monkey and keep the other monkeys at bay.
The story of the Taj Mahal is of a king with multiple wives.
He loved one of his wives very much. Her name or title was Mahal and she bore
the King 14 children before dying while giving birth to the last child. Eight
of the children lived and 4 of them were sons. The King was so grieved that he
built the Taj Mahal to lay his wife to rest in. It took 22 years and 100’s of
artisans and workers to build this edifice. Precious jewels and stones
were gathered from the world over to inlay in this building. It is symmetrical
for every angle. Once finished he began to build a similar one across the
river only it was to be black and that was where he would be buried.
The fourth son wanted the kingdom for himself & killed
his older brothers. This 4th son then imprisoned his father the King
in the Fort so he could reign as king. The son did allow the king to be
imprisoned in a tower that had a view of the Taj Mahal.
Throughout the years the Persians have robbed and pillaged
the Taj Mahal stealing the majority of the valuable jewels from the walls.
However, the architecture is still beautiful.
We also visited a big Fort that was built prior to the Taj
Mahal that housed the royalty. It had a huge moat with alligators & a huge
wall surrounding it. Pretty incredible when you consider they didn’t have
machines.
Departed about midnight for our long trip home back to
reality.
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